Transmission of tone to warn the operator of a momentary disablement of a telephone talking connection by a coin collector



Sept. 27, 1949..

Filed Dec. 50, 1947 CONNECTION BY A COIN COLLECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SENDER SENDER REGISTER I CONTROL FINDER S ENDER TOLL SWlTCI-IBOARD 2I7 POSITION l i I DISTRIBUTOR ANSWER 5 CALL FINDER SELECTOR ,./2I8 COMMON START AND LEVEL J DISTRIBUTOR a lay/X4 R. W. JONES TRANSMISSION OF TONE T Sept. 27, 1949. 2,483,206 o WARN THE OPERATOR OF A MOMENTARY DISABLEMENT OF A TELEPHONE TALKING CONNECTION BY A COIN COLLECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1947 FIG. 2

IN V EN TOR.

R. W. JONES TRANSMISSION OF TONE TO WARN THE OPERATOR OF A Sept. 27, 1949.

MOMENTARY DISABLEMENT-OF A TELEPHONE TALKING CONNECTION BY A com COLLECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 30, 1947 FIG. 3

INVENTOR Roy W Jones Atty Sept. 27, 1949, w, JONES 2,483,206

TRANSMISSION OF TONE TO WARN THE OPERATOR OF A MOMENTARY DISABLEMENT OF A TELEPHONE TALKING CONNECTION BY A COIN COLLECTOR Filed D80. 30, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

T0 402k LOCAL SR I CONN.

tone TR R IC INVENTOR. Roy W. Jones Patented Sept. 27, 1949 TRANSMISSION OF TONE TO WARN THE OPERATOR OF A MOMENTARY DISABLE- MENT OF A TELEPHONE TALKING CON- NECTION BY A COIN COLLECTOR Roy W. Jones, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1947, Serial No. 794,481 Claims. (01. rid-6.3)

This invention relates in general to telephone systems and, more specifically, to apparatus in a trunk circuit that is accessible to both paystations and regular subscriber's sub-stations for extending a talking circuit to a toll operator.

Although the present invention is adaptable to the common manual cord toll board, it is particularly valuable when used with automatic toll switchboards in which the class of service is not indicated to the operator by any arrangement of trunk connections. According to common practice in automatic telephone systems; a signal known as a paystation tone is applied to a trunk seized by a paystation to indicate to the answering toll operator that special supervision is required for the refunding or the collecting of coins. In the present invention, the refund of the initially deposited coin is controlled automatically. When a calling paystation is connected to the switchboard and the operator answers, the paystation tone is applied to the connecting trunk for an interval, and then the trunk circuit is interrupted while a negative potential is applied to both trunk conductors extending to the calling station to refund the coin and to remove the paystation tone. After the removal of the paystation tone, the operator in order to be heard at the calling station must delay speaking until the operation for refunding the coin has been completed. I

Although a call that is routed to the operator through this trunk circuit may originate from a non-coin station, the trunk circuit still operates the same as for a paystation call and a similar delay in speaking is required. If a supervisory tone is not provided in addition to the paystation tone, the toll operator is not able to distinguish a non-coin call that is connected through this trunk circuit from a call that may be completed without delay through a different type trunk circuit; and even when a paystation call is completed through this trunk circuit for refunding the coins automatically, the operator does not know exactly when the talking circuit is completed after the removal of the paystation tone.

An object of the invention is to connect automatically a tick tone circuit to the trunk after a call is received at the toll switchboard to inform the operator that a delay in speaking to r the calling station is necessary.

A further object is to remove the tick tone instantly at the conclusion of the interval during which the potential for operating a refund mechanism is applied to the trunk. The removal 2 of the tick tone informs the operator that the talking circuit is completed.

Figures 1 to 4 inclusive arranged together illustrate the present invention. In Figure 1, the block diagrams represent the circuits of an automatic toll switchboard such as that described in detail in Patent 2,361,313 issued to I. Molnar, October 24, 1944. Figures 2 and 3 show in detail a trunk circuit which is associated with the automatic toll switchboard and which is effective on both incoming and outgoing calls to control supervisory circuits and to complete a talking circuit with either a subscribers sub-station or a paystation at a distant exchange. The block diagrams shown as LS, TR, SR, R and 10 in Figure 4 represent detailed circuits of similar designations shown in Patent 1,855,779 issued to Victor S. Tharp, April 26, 1932. TR is a repeater in the main exchange and is effective on local calls. At the distant exchange, selector repeater SR and repeater R cooperate to connect a calling sub-station such as T to a two conductor trunk which terminates in the trunk circuit at the main exchange. Connector IC has access to called sub-stations.

A brief description of the means for applying and removing the tick tone follows. If a call is being placed from the paystation T of Figure 4 to the toll switchboard of Figure 1, a circuit may be established through the trunk circuit illustrated by Figures 2 and 3. Upon answering the call, the operator receives a paystation tone, and a ground is returned over conductor 209 to operate relay 200, which in turn operates relay 2"). Responsive to the operation of relay 2"), relay 320 operates and at contacts 32! closes a circuit for applying tick tone to the trunk connected to the toll switchboard and at contacts 323 starts the vibration of weighted armature 322. When the amplitude of vibrations become small, slow-operating relay 380 operates to close contacts 3! and 382. At contacts 38! a low resistance circuit is connected across the trunk extending to repeater R of Figure 4 to cause the paystation tone to be removed, and at contacts 382 a circuit is closed for operating relay 390. Slow-operating relay 390 closes circuits to energize slow-operating relays 330 and 395. Relay 395 transfers trunk conductors connected to the paystation from the operators talking circuit to a negative potential in order to operate the coin refund mechanism at the paystation, and it also closes a circuit shunting contacts 33! of relay 330. This circuit maintains the application of tick tone to the trunk for the -duration of the a detailed description of the operation \of the trunk circuit shown in Figures2 and'3 w'ill -be given for a call initiated by a paystationnnairegular subscribers sub-station.

When a calling person at=-sub-station Tdi'als the number which is listed for .theito'll operator, 1

selector SR and repeater R respond to select an idle two conductor trunksuch-asADJ .and 4.52. Upon seizing the trunk, a circuit for applying A. C. ringing generator current is completedat repeater R over the following circuit: conductor 401, breakcontacts 395, contacts 311., upper winding of repeating coil 1324ycondenser 1335, "C. relay 3%, lower windin of the repeating coil, break contacts 397, and conductor #02. .Relay 340 operates and at contacts 34! closes an obvious circuit for operating relay 233. Relay 235 at contacts '23l closesits locking :circuit including negative :battery, winding of slow-operating relay 239, contacts 2L6, and ground. After a short interval the circuit for applying "ringing current is opened and relay K348 releases. At contacts 232 of relay 23.0 .a circuit for biasing relay 350 is closed from ground, right winding :of relay 350 to negative battery, fand 'ground is connected to conductor 430 to busy the trunk to incoming selectors :of the main exchange; at contacts 233 start lead 2.0 for the common start and level distributor is grounded; at contacts 234 the-operating circuit for relay 3l-ll-is closed; and at contacts 235 the .call waiting-conductor 208 is grounded. Relay3l-0 operates. At contacts 3H and 3I2operatingcircuits are prepared for controlling supervisory relays required after thelcall is answered by the operator; at contacts 313 control conductor 2% leadingitotbank-ofcall selectors is grounded; at contacts 31. 1 a locking circuit is prepared; -at.contacts .3l5control con- .ductor 209 is connected to negative :battery through the winding ;of .relay 200 to mark the trunk position in the banks of the 'answerfinder of Figure l; and at contacts 34-5 an operating circuit is prepared forrelay 3-28.

In response to the grounding 'of start lead 207, an answer finder seizes control "conductor '209, and talking conductors 2H and 248. If the call originated from a ;paystation, a circuit is now complete for transmitting 'paystaticn tone :from the line switch LS of Figure 4 to the answerin position-of the toll switchboardto inform the operator of the :class of call. The circuit from the line switch .LS includes trunk conductors ill-l and ill'2 break contacts 396 and-397i, contacts 374, rightwindings of repeating coil 324, and-condom ser 325. The circuit :for the tone current that is induced into "the left windings of t-the repeatingcoil includes condenserfi26-for-connecting the windings in series and conductors 2H and 218, =or transmitting the tone to-the tollswitchboard. Ground potential is returned over the control conductor 2&9 when the 'operator answers to complete the following circuit ifOl operating relay .289; negative battery, upper winding 'of relay 2% contacts .332, contacts 34-5,.and ground potential onconductor 209. -Uponperating, relay 208 atcontacts 2M completes a circuit for shorting the winding of relay 340 and for connecting condenser 335 in parallel with condenser 325, at contacts 282 closes circuits for operating relay 210 and for energizing the biasing winding of relay 240,..and at contacts .283 prepares circuits for relays 33B and 390. Relay 2218 at contacts 2H connects ground at another point to control conductor 430, at contacts 2l2 closes the locking circuit of relay 3E0, at contacts 213 comple'tesa circuitffor operating relay 326, at contacts 2l 'placfes a-fground on conductor 429 to :disconnectithe from an incoming selector at themain exchange, and at contacts 2H3 opens the -locking :circuit of relay 2383. :leasesutcrremove ground from the start lead 231, 'anddirom the call waiting conductor 208, and

- opens one of the-ground connections for control ing coins in the well-known manner.

conductor 430. The circuit for operating relay 32H may :be traced from ground, contacts 244, 2i3, and 3|6, winding of relay 323 to negative battery. Relay 1328 at contacts 32! extends the tick tone circuit to the operators receiver over the talking conductors ZH -and 21-8 and at contacts 323 closes i-intermittently the operating circuit of slow-operating relay 38! through the vibrating weighted spring 322. The operation of relay 383 is delayed by the vibrations ofspring BZ Z .to providesuificient time for theoperator to-recognize the paystation tone. Upon operating, relay .380 at contacts 38! closes a .loop circuit for removing pay-station tone, and at contacts 382 closes a circuit for energizing slow-operating relay 399. The circuit for removing paystation tone and also ior operating relay 350 includes circuits at repeater R .as described .in the Tharppatent 1,855,719, trunk conductor AM, break contacts 336, cont-acts .31! .upper right winding of repeatmg coil .324 contacts 33!, left winding of relay 358, .lower right winding of .the repeating coil, break contacts 39.7, and .trunk .conductor 482. At .contacts 35l of relay -350 an operating =circuit is :completed for relay 29. Relay 22% at contacts 22] opens a termination \bridge circuit, at contacts 222 prepares .a circuit .for relay 4339 and -at contacts 223 closes an additional circuit for connecting control-conductors 209 directly to the upper .winding of relay -2113. The-circuit for operating .relay .395) may be traced from negative battery, Windingof relay 358, contacts 334, 382, and 233 to ground. Relay 395 at *contracts .391 disconnects the circuit that is provided for manual control of the collecting or refunding operation, :at contacts 392 prepares :a circuit .for automatically controlling the refund of the ini-, tially deposited coin, .at contacts 393 completes the circuit for energizing slow-operating :relay 3.95,..and at contacts 394 completes :a circuit .for energizing slow-operating relay 33! Upon .operating relay 395 .at make contacts .336 and 39-7 connects negative v. potential through indicating lamp 383 and contacts 392 to both conductors WI and "402 connected to the .distant exchange. The negative potential operates the mechanism at the calling paystation for refund- At contacts 398 'of re'lay'395 a circuit is closed in parallel with contacts 33l to maintain the tick tone on the trunk-circuit until the end of the refunding operationyat contacts 399 a locking circuit is completed for relay 220. The operating circuit closed at contacts 334 for relay 33B maybe traced from .groundcon'tacts 351,222, 39'4, winding or relay .330 to negative battery. Relay 330 at contacts-331 opens the initial circuit for applying ztick tone, art contacts 333 closes itslock Relay 230 reing circuit which includes contacts 203 and ground, at contacts 334 opens the operating circuit of relay 390, and at contacts 332 opens the initial circuit connecting control conductor 209 to the upper winding of relay 20! Relay 393 releases after an interval. At contacts 392 the ne ative 110 v. potential is removed from the trunk, at contacts 393 the circuit of relay 335 is opened, and at contacts 394 the operating circuit of relay 330 is opened. Relay 325 releases. At armatures 396 and 391 the trunk conductors 40! and 422 are reconnected to the operators talking circuit; at contacts 398 the tick tone is removed to inform the operator that the call may proceed; and at contact 339 the lockin circuit of relay 223 opened. During the interval that the loop circuit is disconnected from relay 352, relay 35!] releases and opens contacts 35!. While contacts 35! are open, the operating circuits of relays 220 and 33! are maintained closed at contacts 399.

If the operator Wishes to recheck for paystation tone, the check key in the operators position is operated to connect ground to trunk conductor 2!8, and to connect negative battery through a circuit having one hundred ohms resistance to trunk conductor 2! 1. Although a circuit is completed over conductor 2!1 for relay 210, it is margined so as to remain unoperated at this time. The circuit for operating relay 243 extends from battery at the toll switchboard over conductor 2! 1, upper left winding of repeating coil 3'24, contacts 3! I, contacts 26!, upper winding of relay 240, contacts 202, to ground. The current flow in the upper winding of relay 243 is of such direction to aid the current flow in the biasing Winding to operate the relay. Relay 240 opens contacts 24! to release relay 320 which releases relay 380. Relay 382 at contacts 38! causes reconnection of the paystation tone by opening a point in the trunk circuit connected to repeater R as described in the Tharp patent. The restoration of the check key releases relay 240 to reoperate first relay 32B and then relay 385. After an interval the closing of contacts 38! removes the paystation tone as previously described.

After receiving the necessary information for completing the call, the operator instructs the calling person to deposit coins. To collect the coins, the operator operates a coin collect key to apply positive 110 v. potential to trunk conductor 2!1. The circuit from the toll switchboard is completed over conductor 2 l1, upper left winding of repeating coil 324, contacts 3H, winding of relay 210, contacts 262, contacts 232, and ground. A circuit completed for the upper winding of relay 242 is ineffective because of the opposition of the lower winding. Relay 21! operates to close contacts 21! for operating relay 263 over the circuit from negative battery, winding of relay 255, contacts 21!, contacts 262 to ground. At contacts 253 a circuit is prepared for controlling collection of coins; at contacts 25! the circuit of the upper winding of relay 243 is opened, at contacts 262 a short circuit is removed from across resistor 265 in series with relay 212, and at contacts 265 a circuit is completed for operating relay 395. Relay 395 at make contacts 396 and 331 completes a circuit for applying positive potential from conductor 2!1, contacts 263, contacts 33!, make contact 396 and 331 to trunk conductors 4M and 402 which are connected to the distant station. At contacts 338 a circuit is completed momentarily from the tick tone lead, contacts 393, contacts 32!, winding of repeating coil 324, and over conductor 2! 8 to the toll switchboard. After the applied positive potential operates the mechanism for collecting coins, the operator restores the coil collect key to open the operating circuit of relay 210. Relay 210 restores relay 260 which opens contacts 265 to release relay 395. Relay 395 completes the talking circuit again and the calling subscriber is then connected through the automatic switchboard to the desired sub-station.

Should it be necessary to refund coins manually, the coin refund key is operated to apply negative potential to conductor 2 l1. Relays 210, 260, and 395 operate sequentially as described for collecting coins and now apply negative 110 v. potential to conductors 43! and 432. Relay 240 may also operate to release relays 320 and 380 according to the previous description for rechecking paystation tone, but their operation is ineffective at this time.

If a trunk line is out of order, the OD and check keys at the switchboard are operated to apply negative potential to both conductors 2!1 and 2E8. Check relay 243 operates over a previously traced circuit and OD relay 253 operates over the following circuit: negative battery applied to conductor 2 l8, lower left winding of re peating coil 324, contacts 3!2, contacts 264, contacts 242, the upper winding of relay 253, contacts 202, and ground. Upon operating relay 250 at contacts 25! and 252 connects a trouble tone to trunk conductors 2!! and 2H3, at contacts 253 opens the operating circuit of relay 280, at contacts 254 connects ground to control conductor 226 to busy the trunk to call selectors, at contacts 255 closes a locking circuit to conductor 251, and also at contacts 255 completes a circuit from conductor 251 to light a trouble lamp which is connected to conductor 256. After restoring the OD and check keys, the operator disconnects from the trunk as described subsequently. Relay 252 is maintained operated until its locking circuit, including negative battery, lower winding of relay 250, contacts 255, and conductor 251, is opened at the test panel. I

If the call originates from a regular subscribers station the operation of the trunk circuit is as previously described except that a paystation tone is not transmitted and the operation of the relays for refunding coins performs no useful function. Since a paystation tone is not transmitted, the application of the tick tone is the only means to inform the operator that the call cannotbe completed until after relay 335 1operates and then releases to remove the tick one.

In response to the calling persons hanging up after the completion of the conversation, the current flow is reversed in the left winding of relay 353. Relay 353 releases and at contacts 35! opens the operating circuit of relay 220. Relay 22!) at contacts 223 removes a shunt from across the lower winding of relay 2% to place its two windings in series in the circuit completed over the control conductor 2B3. Relay 203 remains operated through its two windings in series :but the additional resistance in the circuit restores a marginal relay in the succeeding circuit to inform the operator that the trunk circuit may be released. When the operator disconnects from the trunk, ground is removed from conductor 239 to restore relay 2%. Relay 233, at contacts 232 opens the circuit for relays 2m and 24B, and at contacts 233 opens the locking circuit of relay 330. Relay 2!!) at contacts 2!! removes ground from control conductor 435 and opens the biasing winding of relay 353, at contacts 2!2 opens the locking.- circuitot relay 3M]; and. at contacts 21% opens the: operating circuit ofrelay 320. Upon releasing, relay 320 at contacts 323' opens the: circuit to release relay 389, and relay- 388- at contacts 35H- opensthe loop circuit torelease equipment-at the distant exchange:

In order to describe more fully the operation of. the trunk circuit of Figs. 2 and 3, its operation is given for a call completed through. the. toll switchboard. to subscriber TI- cf Fig. 4. In response to the operators dialling, the: wipers. or the step-by-step call selector of Fig. 1 are raised to the bank level in which trunk circuits for' the distant exchange of Fig; 4 are accessible. An idle one of the trunk circuits is selected automatically in response to the control wiper of the selector encountering negative battery over the following circuit; bank contact of the selector, control conductor 206, contacts 258, contacts 319, contacts 295, upper winding of relay- 2'80, and negative battery. The selector connects ground potential at the control wiper to control conductor 2116' to operate relay 289 and at the line wipers completes a: circuit to operate relay 280. Relay 2:39 at contacts 2M short-circuits the winding of A. C. relay 340, at contacts 292 oom-- pletes a circuit for. operating relay 2N! and for biasing relay 24D; and at contacts 205 connects the two windings of relay 26 1 in series by removing the short circuit from. the lower winding.

Relay 2H1 at contacts 2H completes a circuit for the biasing winding of relay 35B and connects ground to the control conductor 430 for *busying the trunk repeater TR, and at contacts 2 -5- connects groundto conductor 429 for disconnectin the trunk repeater TR from the trunk circuit. The circuit for operating relay 2'8U-may :be tracedf-romthe call selector hank over trunk conductors 2H and 218, left windings of repeating coil 324,

contacts 3H and 318, contacts 381 and 302', contacts 253-, -and through the-upper and l0werwind-- ingsof relay 280 to negative battery and ground respectively. Relay 280 at contacts Zillpreparesan impul-sing circuit, at contacts 282' closes a circuit for energizing slow-acting relay 3''), and at contacts 283 opens a point in an incomplete circuit of relay 363. Relay 31-0 at contacts 312 connects the trunk circuit of the distant exchange to impulsing contacts 28I, at contacts 313 completes the trunk circuit through the left winding of relay 350, and at contacts. 314 prepares the operating circuit of slow-acting relay 360.

In response to impulses sent from the toll switch board over conductors 2H and 218, relay 280 pulses. At contacts 281 the impulses are repeated over the loop circuit to repeater R and connector 16, and at contacts 283 the operating circuit of relay 350 is closed intermittently. Relay 36B is maintained operated during each series of impulses and at contacts 3'6| shout-circuits condensers 325 and 33! and Winding'of relay 350, and a winding of repeating coil 324 to improve the transmission of impulses. 'Ihe impulsing loop may be traced from negative battery and awinding of an impulsingrelay in the incoming connector IC at the distant exchange, conductor 461-, breakcontacts 385, contacts 312', contacts 38+, contacts 36!, lower right winding of repeating coil 324, break cont-acts 397, conductor 402, winding of the impulsing relay in connector IC to ground. In response to impulsing, the wipers of connector IC engage the bank cont-acts corresponding tothe line-for sub-station TI, and if the lineis idle, ringing current is automatically applied. When the sending of impulses has ended,

8 negative battery is sent' forward from the toll switchboard over the EC conductor 2H1 to. com.- plete acircuit through contacts 305 upper winding of relay 3G0, and groundto operate relay 300: At contacts 301 a locking circuit iscompleted from negative battery, lower'winding of relay 300,.0011- tacts 301, and ground: on control conductor 206; at contacts 309 ashort circuit is placed across the impulsing contacts; at contacts 39! and 302 the: battery feed circuit, including the windings the relay 2-88, disconnected from trunk conductors 2H and 118-; at contacts 303-and304 each of the trunk conductors is connected through circuits having appropriate resistance to ground; at contacts 306 the EC conductor 219- is connected to ground for supervision; and: at contacts 308' a circuit is completed to maintain the circuit of relay 358 closed after relay 3'10 releases. Relay 2'80 releases, andat contacts 282- opens the-operatingr circuit for relay 310. Upon releasing; relay 310 at contacts 31 I and 31-2 removes the impulsing contacts from the trunk circuit, and at contacts 314 opens theoperating circuit of relay 360.

When thev called subscriber at sub-station Tl answers, negativebattery and ground are reversed on conductors 49! and 162 to operate relay 358 over a circuit including conductor 4.0-1, break contactsSf-lfi, contacts.31I-,.upper right'winding of repeating coil 324, contacts 308,. left winding of relay 35 lower winding of the repeating coil, break contacts 391-, and conductor 482-. Relay 358 at contacts 35lcloses the operating circuit-0t relay 22G. Relay-iz latcontactsfil removes the line termination bridge from across. the talking: circuit, and at contacts 224 removes ground from EC conductor 219 to-notify the operator thatthe called sub-station has answered.

When. the conversation: is completed, the-calledsubscriber returns his. receiver to. its hookto restore the polarity 0t trunkconductors 482 amount to normal. Relay 35a releases and opens. the opera-ting circuit of. relay 2%. Upon releasing, relay 220 reconnects ground to EC conductor 2l9. to. notify the operator that the called subscriber has hungup. When the operator disconnects the trunk. connection, the loop circuit is opened and ground is removed from control conductor 266 to release relays 2 08 and 300. Relay 2011 opens. the operating circuit of relay 2m and the biasing. circuit of relay 24B. Relay 2H1 at con tacts 2| I opens the biasing. circuit of relay 350 and removes ground from conductor 4313 to render the trunk circuit selectable,v and at contacts 215 removes groundfrom conductor 429 to reconnect the trunk repeater 'I-R to anincoming selector.

The means for attaining the objects of the. in-- vention have been fully described and. included in a particular telephonesystem, but it is understood that departures and. various changes maybe ef-- fected and still be within the spirit and scope-0t the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

.What is claimed is:

1. In. a telephone system, paystation lines having. coin collectingv means associated therewith and non-paystation lines, an operators position, a trunk. circuit,. means for extending calls from either paystation lines or non-paystation lines to-sa-idpositionover said trunk circuit, a coin refund controlling circuit in said trunk circuit, means in said trunk circuit for operating. said coin refund controlling circuit automatically to refund a coin in response to the operator's answering either type of call, a tick tone source,

means for connecting said tick tone source to said operators position for an interval of time to warn the operator that an automatic coin operation is taking place. l

2. In a telephone system, paystation lines having coin collecting means associated, therewith and non-paystation lines, anoperator s position,

a trunk circuit includinga talking circuit, means for extending calls from either paystation lines ornon-paystation lines over said talkingcircuit to said position, a coin refund controlling circuit in said trunk circuit, meansin said trunk circuit for operating said refund controlling circuit to automatically refund a deposited'coin in response to the operators answering either type of call, a tick tone source, means for connecting said tick tone source to the answering operators position for an interval of time to warn the operator that an automatic coin refunding operation is taking place, and said talking circuit disabled during the operate time of said coin refund circuit.

3. In a telephone system, an operators position, a callingpaystation, a trunk having two conductors, means for connecting said paystation to said position over said conductors, a source of paystation tone, means for connecting said source of paystation tone to said conductors to inform the operator of the class of service, a source of tick tone, means responsive to the operators answering for connecting said source of tick tone to said conductors, the tick tone warning the operator to delay speaking to the calling person until an automatic coin refunding operation is completed, slow-operating means associated with said trunk, said last means responsive to the operators answering for automatically controlling the refund of coins deposited at said paystation.

4. In a telephone system, an operators position, a calling paystation having a coin collecting mechanism, a trunk circuit having a talking circuit, a coin refund controlling circuit, and a tick tone circuit, means for connecting said paystation to said position over said talking circuit, a source of paystation tone, means effective prior to the operators answering for connecting said source of paystation tone to said talking circuit to inform the operator of the class of service, means responsive to the operators answering for connecting said tick tone circuit to said position, said tick tone circuit transmitting a distinctive tone to the position for warning the answering operator to delay speaking until the operation of said coin controlling circuit is complete, a. relay, slow-operating means also responsive to the operators answering for removing the paystation tone and for momentarily operating said relay, said relay operating to connect said refund controlling circuit to said paystation and to. disable said talking circuit, said relay releasing to enable said talking circuit and to disconnect said tick tone circuit from said operators position to inform the operator that the talking circuit is prepared for speaking.

5. In a telephone system, two exchanges, a two conductor trunk connecting said exchanges, paystations and regular subscribers sub-stations having lines terminating in one of said exchanges and having access to said trunk, means at said one exchange effective only if a paystation seizes said trunk for applying a paystation tone thereto, an operators position, a trunk circuit at the other .of said exchanges connected to said trunk, means responsive to the seizure of said trunk by one of said paystations or said sub-stations for connecting said position to said trunk circuit, a

10 tick tone circuit associated with said trunk circuit, means responsive to the operators answering for connecting said tick tone circuit to said position to inform the operator that a delay in speaking to the calling person is necessary until subsequent switching operations have been completed, a slow-operating means also responsive to the operators answering for removing paystation tone, a refund potential, a slow-operating relay momentarily operated in response to operation of said last means,-said relay operating to disconnect said trunk from said operators position and to connect said trunk to said refund potential, the connection to said potential effective if the call was initiated from a paystation to refund coins, the releasing .of said relay reconnecting said trunk to said position and disconnecting said tick tone circuit from said position to inform the operator that the call may proceed.

6. In a telephone system wherein the talking circuit of a trunk circuit in an established connection from a calling line to an operators position is completed in response to the operators answering the trunk call, in combination with time controlled means in said trunk circuit operated a predetermined time after-the response of said operator answering said trunk call for automatically disabling said talking circuit, means included in said time controlled means for maintaining said talking circuit disabled for a short interval of time and for thereafter automatically reestablishing said talking circuit, means in said trunk circuit operated in response to the operators answering the trunk call for transmitting a tick tone to the operator, and means included in said time controlled means for disconnecting said tick tone when said talking circuit is re-established to inform the operator that conversation over the talking circuit may be commenced.

7. In a telephone system wherein the talking circuit of a trunk circuit in an established connection from a calling line to an operators posi-- tion is automatically disabled within a predetermined time after the operator answers the trunk call and then is thereafter automatically reestablished after a further interval of time, in combination with circuit means for momentarily transmittin a tick tone from said trunk circuit to said operators position in response to the operators answering the trunk call, and additional circuit means for continuing transmission of said tick tone until re-establishment of said talking circuit to inform the operator when conversation over the talking circuit may be commenced.

8. In a telephone system, paystation lines having coin collect and refund apparatus associated therewith, an operators position, a trunk circuit terminating in said position, means responsive to one of said lines calling the operator for connecting the calling line to said trunk circuit and for signalling the operator, a paystation tone source associated with said calling line for generating a paystation tone which is audible to the operator when the operator answers the trunk call, means including a tick tone source associated with said trunk circuit for superimposing a tick tone on said paystation tone in response to the operators answering, coin refunding circuits in said trunk circuit for effecting a coin refund operation of the apparatus at the calling line, time controlled means in said trunk circuit operated a predetermined time after the operator answers for causing automatic disconnection of said lpaystation tone from said trunk circuit, re- ---unding means .in said trunk circuit for automatically completing saidcoin refunding circnits to complete the refund operation of the apparatus at said calling line operated in response tothe operation of said time controlled means, time delay means operated a :predetermined interval afiter the operation of said refunding means :for automatically releasing said refunding means, and means controlled :by the release of said re- "funding means for disconnecting tick tone from said voperators position.

9. '111 a telephone system, :paystation lines hav- -i-ng .coin "collect and refund apparatus associated -tlierexivith, an operators position. a. trunk circuit terminating in saidposition, means responsive to :12 :cuits in said trun'k circuit 'ior effecting a coin refund operation of said apparatus at said-0821b inglin-e, and timecontroiied means in said circuit automatically effective a predetermined time after the operator answers for causing -the discormection of the :paystation tone, i-or completing said coin refund circuits to complete a reiund operation of said apparatus at the calling Iline after said predetermined time, and after an interval of time following said "predetermined time for-disconnecting said tick; tone and tar :dis- :abiing said refund-circuits.

10. In a telephone system as claimedin claim 9 including a talking circuit in said trunk circuit disabled for talking purposes duringthe time said circuits are efiective.

RGY W. JONES.

CITED The following reterences are of record in the file of this atent:

Name Date lfharn -.e--.--H b- 10, 1 3 

